Scotland awarded four international curling championships

Scotland have been awarded four curling championships from 2016 to 2020 Photo: WCF / Richard Gray

Perth, ScotlandDecember 23, 2014

The World Curling Federation (WCF) has announced that Scotland will host four major international curling championships between 2016 and 2020.

The multi-hosting agreement starts with the European Curling Championships in 2016 which will take place at the Braehead Arena in Renfrewshire and concludes with one of the WCF’s flagship events, the World Men’s Curling Championship in 2020 at the newly built SSE Hydro in Glasgow.

Speaking about the agreement, WCF President Kate Caithness said: “We are delighted to confirm this multiple host agreement with Scotland. Securing all four locations is a massive boost to the sport, not only internationally but particularly within Scotland as they look to build on interest in curling generated around the time of the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Following on from the double host awards to Esbjerg in Denmark and Lohja, Finland, this form of multiple event bidding is becoming increasingly popular amongst our Member Associations and is proving to be an attractive proposition for the World Curling Federation.”

She continued: “We will be working hard with Scotland’s Royal Caledonian Curling Club, event partners and the four organising committees over the next few years to ensure all of these events are a success. We hope that you can join us for one or all of these Upcoming Championships in Scotland, the home of curling.”

Bruce Crawford, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club was also pleased to announce the news. He said: "We are delighted that Scotland has been awarded these four international curling championships by the World Curling Federation. The bid process has been a collaboration with our partners and the real work begins now as we start turning these ambitious plans into exciting events. From today we will start working with new partners, sponsors and volunteers to deliver four successful events across Scotland over the next six years.”

He continued: “The events give us the opportunity to showcase our best talent and will provide sports fans with the chance to watch world class sport on home soil. The established TryCurling programme will be used to bring a lasting legacy for curling by attracting thousands of new people to the sport in the 22 ice rinks that we currently use."

Speaking of the announcement, Jamie Hepburn, Scottish Government Sports Minister, said: “In 2014, Scottish curlers had phenomenal success on the world stage, particularly winning medals at the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi. So it’s tremendous news that from 2016 Scotland will host four of the world’s major curling events in our world class facilities. Hosting these events will raise the profile of the sport and give our curlers a huge opportunity to compete in front of their enthusiastic and patriotic fans here in Scotland, the home of curling, which I hope will encourage more people try their hand at this wonderful sport.”

Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland was also pleased that Scotland has secured these four curling championships. He said: “Major events play a key role in Scottish tourism and our world-leading approach has put us at the forefront of this global industry. Securing one event is always a big deal, but to secure four at the same time with a global appeal such as curling is an incredible feat.

“Scotland is the perfect stage for events and we are in the enviable position of having some truly world-renowned venues, which attract major one-off events and Championships. These new events compliment our existing and ever-growing portfolio through to 2020, and will provide a platform to drive domestic and international tourism, while delivering significant economic impacts for Scotland.”

This latest host award notice follows similar agreements already in place with Esbjerg in Denmark which was awarded the European Curling Championships 2015 and World Women’s Curling Championship 2019 and Lohja in Finland which will host the World Wheelchair Curling Qualification event 2015 and the World Junior-B Curling Championships 2016. This is in addition to the ongoing relationship between the WCF and the Canadian Curling Association that sees Canada host the men’s then women’s World Curling Championship in alternate years.

Scotland has not hosted a men’s World Championship since 2000 when Canada’s Greg McAulay won the world title in Braehead. That same location held the World Wheelchair Curling Championship the last time it was in Scotland, in 2005.